Picture Courtesy of Roche Bobois
Bamboo and Rock
Unrelentingly, biting hard into the mountain green,
I plant my roots deep into broken rocks unseen.
Braving myriads of tribulations and beatings, I stand my ground—
Whether from North, South, East or West the winds blow.
—Zheng Xie, Qing Dynasty
Stepping into the Roche Bobois showroom on Madison Avenue in Manhattan, visitors are met with a blast of vibrant colors—celadon green against coral reds. These exquisite hues, each distinct in its own right, unite to set the tone for the brand’s furniture collection inspired by an unexpected muse: bamboo.
From sofas and cocktail tables to rugs, screens, vases, and lighting—Roche Bobois presents the “Bamboo Mood” series in collaboration with Franco-Chinese artist Jiang Qiong Er. This collection offers a fresh take on the evergreen bamboo—a plant revered through China’s millennia of artistic traditions and values.
Renowned Franco-Chinese artist Jiang Qiong Er
Though seemingly delicate, bamboo is remarkably strong and durable—making it a preferred material for construction scaffolding. This striking contrast is just one of its many qualities that captivated Jiang.
“Bamboo has always fascinated me. Elegant, resilient, fluid, and peaceful, it counters strong winds with insolence and play. Bamboo bends but does not break. It whispers, trembles, filters the light, and plays with shadow. Timeless,” she said in an interview.
“I designed this new bamboo-inspired collection as an invitation to travel; an inexhaustible source of inspiration, poetry, and dreams.”
On March 5, at the Manhattan showroom, Jiang shared her creative process and insights. She likened her inspiration to a song, where four distinct yet intertwining melodies came together to form the basis of her design.
The first melody comes to life through the screen and the lacquered console table, their vertical forms reminiscent of a walk through the lush bamboo forest. The second, represented by a low cocktail table, draws inspiration from bamboo shoots poking through the earth at morning’s first light—its musical counterpart, a resonating bass.
Cocktail table with integrated vase from Bamboo Mood collection.
The third melody, marked by the thunderous boom of the gong, takes shape in the sofa. Its design captures the scene of powerful winds bending the bamboo. Finally, the fourth melody is embodied in the area rug, inspired by artistic paintings of branches and leaves dancing in the wind.
Through Jiang’s vivid imagination, nature’s whimsy and beauty unfold. The sofa stands out with its elegant design, featuring a spacious seat for extra comfort and gently curved backrest and armrests that bring harmony to the whole. Its highly elastic upholstery—a first for the brand—adapts to the seat’s unique shape while staying soft and inviting. This characteristic mirrors the bamboo’s resilience—no matter how deeply it bends, it always springs back upright.
5-seat sofa, fabric color can be customized.
Armchair, fabric color can be customized.
When asked which piece from the collection she would most recommend to her clients, Jiang said that it truly depends on each person’s home design and needs. However, she quickly pointed to the screen and said, “This is a good choice.”
The screen is available in 2 sizes from Bamboo Mood collection.
The screen is a classic piece in Chinese art and interiors, perfectly blending aesthetics with function. It offers some privacy in an open-concept space while preserving the natural flow of the room. Just as one would stroll through a bamboo forest and peek through the branches, its openwork design offers glimpses of the world beyond—shifting with each step and sparking new imagination.
While bamboo is a classic motif in Chinese philosophy, Jiang emphasized that her team’s vision extends beyond an Asian audience. “It’s universal,” she said. Each piece transcends cultural boundaries, celebrating the poetic beauty of bamboo while blending tradition with a contemporary spirit.
Inspired by the classic Chinese symbol of strength and elegance,
the Bamboo Mood collection reimagines tradition with a poetic twist.
